This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com

Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets in dead heat

Standings aside, both NHL bottom-feeders face a similar number of major challenges in the near future.

Phil Kessel's production gives the Leafs an edge at forward. (STEVE RUSSELL / TORONTO STAR) | Order this photo

By Mark Zwolinski and Bob MitchellSports Reporters

Mon., March 19, 2012

This is how bad it’s become for the Maple Leafs: They are on par with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Not in the standings, where the Leafs hold a comfortable edge this season, but when comparing the franchises top to bottom — with what promises to be a busy off-season fast approaching.

Here’s a look at the key areas and some gaping holes that need to be filled by trade, through free agency or on draft day:

Both teams are expected to be kicking the tires on a goalie at the very least in the off-season. Few in Toronto believe pending unrestricted free agent Jonas Gustavsson will be back. Gustavsson attracted interest from at least three teams at the trade deadline, though, and will find work elsewhere. The other in-house option, James Reimer, started his career strongly — like Blue Jackets No. 1 Steve Mason — before struggling badly. Mason, though, won four straight games in March before a hand injury. Columbus has 32-year-old Curtis Sanford as a solid backup. Mason came off the bench after Sanford was injured in the first period Sunday night and got the win in Calgary.

Advantage: Columbus

Article Continued Below

The Leaf cupboard isn’t bare with Marlies Joe Colborne, Nazem Kadri and rock-solid defender Korbinian Holzer. Add newly-acquired power forward Carter Ashton and first-year winger Matt Frattin and things don’t look that awful. Toronto is also headed for a lottery pick in the June draft. They’re three points out of the basement in the East.

Columbus is on pace to finish dead last overall, but drafting hasn’t been the club’s strong suit and current GM Scott Howson may not even be around in June. First-rounders Nikolai Zherdev (fourth overall in 2003) and Nikita Filatov (sixth in 2008) bombed. Centre Ryan Johansen (fourth in 2010) is considered their centre of the future and made the team out of training camp, but has often been a healthy scratch of late.

Jake Gardiner and Luke Schenn have loads of upside, but were mentioned in trade speculation around the deadline. Toronto tried to deal Cody Franson mid-winter but couldn’t find a match. The other key members of the blue line — captain Dion Phaneuf, John-Michael Liles and Mike Komisarek — need to respond big time under new coach Randy Carlyle next season.

Like Gardiner, the Blue Jackets have a gem in Jack Johnson, acquired from Los Angeles for Jeff Carter. If Nash goes, Johnson will become the face of the franchise — paired with James Wisniewski, who has four years left on his $33 million contract ($5.5 million salary cap hit). Johnson has six more years on his $30 million deal ($4.5 million cap hit).

Advantage: Columbus

If the new season started tomorrow, the Leafs would feature Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul and Mikhail Grabovski as their top forwards. Columbus? Excluding Nash, who is expected to be dealt, the Jackets would have Johansen, Vinny Prospal, Derick Brassard, R.J. Umberger and Mark Letetsu.

Advantage: Leafs

Nash is the key. The Leafs will likely go after him hard in the off-season. If he lands in Toronto, Columbus enters a rebuilding phase from top to bottom. The Leafs are looking for a makeover similar to the one that vaulted the Flyers to the Stanley Cup final two years ago.

Advantage: Leafs, because they’re stronger up front. After trading Nash, though, Columbus should have an exciting mix of young players who can develop an identity and a system. Both teams have numerous holes to fill in the coming months.

The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, One Yonge Street, 4th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5E 1E6. You can unsubscribe at any time. Please contact us or see our privacy policy for more information.

More from the Toronto Star & Partners

LOADING

Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or distribution of this content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. To order copies of Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com